KATHMANDU: Energy Minister Kulman Ghising has said he will not resign from the government, insisting that he is not affiliated with any political party.
Speaking at a press conference in Kathmandu on Tuesday, Ghising stated that, as of today, he is not a member of any political party. Reiterating this position, he made it clear that he has no intention of stepping down from his ministerial post.
During the press conference, journalists questioned him about why he continues to remain in the government despite having played a political role during the Sushila Karki–led citizens’ government. Although the event organizers attempted to stop political questions by taking away the microphone, the question was still raised, putting Ghising in an uncomfortable position.
Responding briefly, Ghising said, “As long as I am standing on this stage today, as of this date, I am not a member of any party.”
However, Ghising had earlier played a key role in registering the Ujyaalo Nepal party, appointing former secretary Anup Kumar Upadhyay as its chair. He had also travelled to various parts of the country to expand the party’s organization. Later, Ujyaalo Nepal was merged into the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) under the leadership of Rabi Lamichhane.
Following the merger, Ghising has been serving as a vice-chair of the RSP, ranking second in seniority after Chair Lamichhane, and has reportedly included 18 individuals of his choice in the proportional representation list. He was also present at the inauguration of Ujyaalo Nepal’s office in Tripureshwar, Kathmandu, on Poush 10, and has participated in several party programs at both central and provincial levels.
Despite this political engagement, Ghising has denied having any party affiliation. His statement comes a day after the Cabinet meeting on Monday, where interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki instructed ministers actively involved in party politics to resign.
Ignoring the prime minister’s directive, Ghising has refused to step down, maintaining that he is not associated with any political party.
Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Bablu Gupta is also reportedly active in the RSP, while Minister for Communications and Information Technology Jagadish Kharel is preparing to contest elections from Lalitpur on an RSP ticket.
As several ministers move toward active party politics, moral pressure has been mounting on Prime Minister Sushila Karki to remove them from the citizens’ government.
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